The Lucan Job
by Dagas Isa
Summary: Yuna's just getting the hang of the thief dressphere, and Rikku's there for encouragement.


The Lucan Job

"I don't know if I can go through with this..."

"Sure you can. I taught you proper, didn't I? The guards will come by in a little bit, so before then, all we have to do is sneaky-sneak into the chamber, nab the sphere and get out before anyone even knows it's gone."

"That's not it... I mean, isn't this wrong...you know stealing..."

Rikku shushed her doubts. "It's not like that sphere is doing anyone any good just sitting in a display case looking all fancy. Besides, it might have some information on _you know who_."

"True." Yunie seemed to be weighing each side in her mind, "but still it seems wrong to steal this sphere from an old man who hasn't done anything."

If Yuna had not been the most famous person to ever grace Spira since Sin, they might have though her a genuine thief; she certainly looked the part and carried the daggers, nice light weapons with both defensive and utility purposes. Actually, Rikku admired how well Yuna's primness translated into her native dressphere, but still overcoming that natural manner so that she could actually _steal_ something was an issue that must be overcome.

"Maybe he kicks baby chocobos or something?" Rikku offered.

"Rikku!" Yuna's voice carried louder than the safe whisper they had been talking about.

"Shh! We don't wanna be caught, right?"

That at least turned down her voice. "Oh, right. I'm sorry, I just...I'm so nervous."

"Aww...Yunie. Don't be nervous, It's just a little thing. He probably won't even miss it."

"It's in a display case though."

Rikku thought, and thought, and thought some more, probably only for a little under a minute, but in her carefully crafted burglary plan, any hesitation could bring failure crashing down around their heads and guard doggies snapping at their feet.

"Whatever is on that sphere could be important, not only to us, but for all of Spira, right? So, why is some mean old man hoarding it in his treasure room, like it's some piece of jewelry instead of making it public and helping all of Spira?"

Yuna processed that thought with the same solemn consideration she had given to her pilgrimage two years ago. "I suppose, if it would help Spira...I guess it would be okay."

"Of course it would!" Rikku's voice leaped up with her body before she could quiet herself. "This is such a little thing compared to everything else you've done for them. You can do it Yunie!" Placing herself in the position of cheerleader, Rikku encouraged Yuna.

"You're right. I can do this. Focus Yuna, focus."

The special soft-soled boots skimmed across the floor as Yuna walked across the library. From her belt, a set of lock picks, Rikku's custom design, emerged, as the former high-summoner finagled with the lock.

With each little possible snap and click and pounding footstep, Rikku's heart sped up until it made a deafening noise in her ears. The urge to scream or squeal or make any sort of pressure-relieving noise built up until it could only be contained by teeth biting lip.

Finally, Yuna walked out, the small peach orb in her hand. Really, it did look like a bauble, Round, and pretty, the swirling patterns making it seem like little more than a pretty rock shaped into a sphere, but the faint hum emitted made it clear that something more was going on.

"Let's take it back to the ship!" The greatest effort kept the squeak out of her voice when Rikku said it, and Yuna nodded, cradling the loot in her hands like a live chocobo egg.

* * *

Back at the ship, everyone gathered around the monitor as Shinra finished transferring the data into a usable form.

The strains of a song, of the type which inspired the new music produced in Spira since the Eternal Calm began played over the ship's speakers. From the point of view of the observer, an audience of thousands cheered and pumped their hands to the beat. Rikku danced a little, the beat was catchy after all, with a little snap. A glance at Yuna though, looking slightly irritated by the sphere's contents, stopped her performance.

"Yunie?"

"You said that this would help Spira, so why does it look like it's just a concert."

"Now...now wait a minute Yunie...we didn't know what was on that sphere, right? We just got a good rumor and followed through. And who knows...this could help Spira."

"How?"

"I don't know..."

The sphere finished playing, and Shinra ejected the sphere. He held it to the light, examining every little surface, so intrigued that Rikku just had to say, "See, Shinra thinks there's something special about the Sphere, so who knows."

"It's not interesting," Shinra said, his voice extra nasally for some reason, maybe he had a cold. "But I do think we can use it as a dressphere. Care to try it on, Yuna."

"Me?" Yuna looked a little shocked, but took the sphere anyway, and placed it onto the garment grid, the same miraculous invention that had outfitted her perfectly as the thief.

Rikku took in Yuna, a sight to behold in the frilly skirt and top, and the boots. "Wow...you look like a star Yunie. Complete with a microphone."

"Really. She looked down at her right hand, indeed holding a microphone. That's odd...I don't feel like singing."

"Give it time, Yunie. You still need to get used to being a thief first."

Yuna laughed despite the look of horror on her face. "I could get used to that, if I had too. But singing? Never!"


End file.
